How to Get a YouTube Official Artist Channel
I freakin’ LOVE YouTube! It’s like having an army of marketers placing your music in front of your ideal audience 24/7/365.
If you’ve been wondering how to get that tiny musical note you see on other musicians’ YouTube channels—you’ve come to the right place!
Keep reading to find out how to get an Official YouTube Artist Channel (OAC)!
Benefits of having an Official Artist Channel on YouTube:
Discoverability and more subscribers: An OAC will merge your topic channel and Vevo channel (if you have one) into your main YouTube channel. When a user types your name into a YouTube search, we want your primary channel to be the first thing that shows up. All of these other channels’ subscribers will also get merged into your main account, giving you an instant subscriber boost. Your fans will now have a single place to subscribe!
Advanced analytics: You’ll get data for all videos across the YouTube ecosystem that feature your music, including fan-uploaded videos.
Profiles: You’ll be able to upload additional press photos and a press kit bio. These assets are used in YouTube Search, YouTube Music, and throughout the entire YouTube ecosystem to help you establish your brand.
Organized content: Auto-generated playlist shelves will organize all of your music content (music videos, Art Tracks, etc.) and display them dynamically.
Concert tickets: Display tickets to your shows (remember those??) to viewers who watch official music content from your YouTube channel.
How to get an Official YouTube Artist Channel
To be eligible for an Official Artist Channel, you need to meet a few requirements:
Own and operate a YouTube channel that represents one artist (duh!)
Have official releases on YouTube delivered by a music distributor or label (insert hideous art tracks here)
Not have any policy violations on your channel.
And one of the following:
Work with a YouTube Partner Manager
Be part of the YouTube Partner Program
Have a channel that is part of a label network that works with a Partner Manager
Step 1: Register for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)*.
YPP requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in the past 12 months. If you’re already a YouTube partner, you’re halfway there! Move on to step 2, my friend.
If you don’t qualify for the Partner Program yet, don’t sweat it! Work on growing your channel until you’re eligible and can get approved.
My go-to resource for learning all things YouTube is the Creator Academy.
They have TONS of resources and free courses designed to help you get the most out of YouTube.
Like this:
Step 2: Once you’re accepted into the YouTube Partner Program, email artist-support@youtube.com with the links to your main channel, topic channel, and Vevo channel (if you have one) and let them know that you’d like your main channel upgraded to an Official Artist Channel. That’s it!
They’ll get back to you ASAP and put you into a queue to have your channel upgraded. (It can take up to 3 months once they’ve processed your request.)
* YouTube Partner Program workaround: It's worth noting that your distributor falls under the category of “a label network that works with a Partner Manager”.
So if you aren't eligible for YPP yet but still want an OAC, reach out to your distributor and ask them for help. They might be able to get your channel upgraded without you having to be part of the partner program.
Some distributors such as CD Baby, Distrokid, and others are working channel verification into their feature set to make this process easier and more accessible for everyone.
